DORCHESTER SPORTS RES 3

BOSCOMBE POLONIA 2

DORCHESTER Sports Reserves continued their 100 per cent record in the Dorset Senior League with a hard fought 3-2 victory over Boscombe Polonia at Cranford Avenue, thanks to a hat-trick from Jamie West.

The hosts started sharply, having the better of the opening exchanges and took the lead midway through the first half.

Good pressure from Sports’ frontman Jack Brown forced the hesitant Polonia right-back to gift him possession.

He found Heath, who in turn crafted the ball to West to dispatch his first.

The remainder of the first half continued much the same as Sports looked to extend their lead but to no avail with good chances from Elford, West and Heath all failing to register.

After the interval, a rejuvenated Boscombe took the game to the hosts as they looked to make them pay for those missed chances, and on 65 minutes they got their reward.

Jack Thompson got caught dwelling in possession by a Polonia attacker whose resulting cross was headed into his own net by Jamie Oates to level the scores.

As Sports looked shaken, Polonia continued their pressure and took the lead with 10 minutes to go.

A superb direct free-kick struck the woodwork and as the Sports defence failed to react, a Boscombe player headed the rebound in unchallenged.

With the points seemingly snatched, the Sports management combination of Andy Mallett and Steve Churchill made a double substitution in a tactical endeavour to salvage something from the game.

The introduction of Sam Turner and Henry Clark proved a masterstroke as Sports found another gear and a new purpose to their play.

With just four minutes left on the clock, Thompson’s monstrous tackle fell invitingly to Turner, who picked out West beyond the Polonia backline.

With the keeper rushing towards him, West nonchalantly lifted the ball over him in to the net from 20 yards to set up a nervy ending at 2-2.

In the final minute Jack Brown’s clever reverse pass found Luke Gatehouse just inside the penalty area, his pinpoint cross found West at the far post who thumped home the winner emphatically to seal his hat-trick and secure all three points in a dramatic final twist.

Sports manager Mallet said: “At 2-1 down I couldn’t see us getting back into it if I’m honest, but the subs made a difference and the boys never gave up.

“Myself and Steve couldn’t be more pleased with lads, to win our first three games in a new league with a new team is brilliant.”

Sports: Quinn, Gatehouse, Tewkesbury, Thompson, Oates, Heath, Elford, Pashan, Hillier, Brown, West. Subs: Turner, Clarke, Hayes